Self-winding timepiece



Feb. 18, 1936. w. A. GABRIEL 2,030,980

SELF WINDING TIMEPIECE Filed May 20, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l 3 l! m a y, hmrfmzl Feb. 18, 1936. w. A. GABRIEL 2,030,980 SELF" WINDING TIMEPIECE Filed May 20, 1932 s Sheets-Sheet 2 I rwerafir: (awn/a2 GaJr-a'el,

' Feb. 18, 1936. w. A. GABRIEL SELF WINDING TIMEPIECE Filed May 20, 1952 3 sheets-sheet s Irwenfor:

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Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-WINDING TIIVIEPIECE William Atkinson Gabriel, Elgin, Ill., assignor to Elgin National Watch Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 20, 1932, Serial No. 612,565

10 Claims. (01. 58-82) This invention relates to improvements in time Fig. 8 is a back view of the same, With P keeping instruments, and more particularly to tion broken away for clearness. improvements in self-winding timepieces. The Fig. 9 is a lon tu na S c io of t e Sameinvention further relates to self-winding watches Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the modified wherein the winding mechanism is actuated by f rm of we 5 the motion of the body'of the wearer. Briefly, as shown in the drawings, the present The principal object of the invention is to proinvention provides a self-winding wrist watch or vide a watch wherein a reciprocating member is the like wherein a watch movement is fixedly adapted to actuate the windin mechanism, mounted within the watch case in spaced relation A further object of the invention is to prothereto, whereby a weighted member. Which is 10 vide a watch of the self-winding type wherein likewise mounted within said case by means of the watch movement is fixed within the case in suitable anti-friction devices is caused to shift spaced relation thereto, thus permitting the retherein by any motion of a pa t of the body ciprocation of a weighted member within the case of the wearer to which the watch is secured. In

16 to actuate the winding mechanism. addition to the ordinary ma Winding a A further feature of the present invention is setting me there e p v d add tional the provision of a watch assembly including a Winding gears to which the said weighted meme case, a watch movement and a weight-operated her is operatively connected in such a manner winding mechanism, in which th t h movethat its reciprocation within the case will actu- 20 ment is fixed in relation to the case and is proate the gears and thus wind the watch. In ad- 20 vided with manual winding means extending to dition to the anti-friction devices which sl1P- the exterior of the case, and with a weight-opp the Weighted member and Permit its ready erated self-winding mechanism having a weight reciprocation, there are provided means to absorb located within the ca e and surrounding th the shocks incident to the reciprocation of said movement for normally maintaining the watch Wei ed emb r. 25 in wound condition. In Figures 1 to 6 the watch case comprises a The invention further provides a self-winding y In which is p ded Wit nteg al end and watch having a more evenly balanced structure side walls in the usual manner. The said body than has heretofore been possible. ID has a back closing plate II and a bezel l2 3 The invention still further provides a selfwhich are secured thereto by t usual nap ribs winding watch which is compact, reliabl nd I3 and M respectively. The bezel l2 has secured whose winding mechanism is easily accessible. thereto a watch crystal The y '0 0 he These and other features of the invention will watch case has flanges l6 d ng toward the appear in the course of the following specificacenter of the said watch case. The said flanges tion and claims, in which an illustrative form have suppo t Portions H in pa ed elation 35 of practicing the invention, with modifications in to the correspondi g. end Walls Of e body of the detail thereof, is set forth. watch case proper. A watch movement l8 hav- In these drawings:-- ing rib portions I9 is mounted between the sup- Figure l is a back plan view of a watch with porting portions IS in such a manner that the 40 the back closing plate removed. said rib portions rest upon the ends of the said 40 Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through supporting portions and the free edge of the bezel the watch case, substantially on line 22 of Fig. l2 presses upon said movement whereby the 1, showing the weight in elevation. watch movement is fixedly mounted within the Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view substancase. Other suitable fastening devices may be tially on line 3-3 of Fig. 4. used to more firmly secure the said watch move- Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view substanment if desired. The watch movement is protially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, but showing the vided with the usual hand winding and setting watch movement in elevation. stem 20 which extends through a side wall of the Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view substantialcasing and has secured thereto the usual crown 5n 1 on lin 5-5 of Fig. 3. 20 The watch movement is provided with a dial Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse face 2| and a hand pivot 22 which extends sectional view substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 3. through the center of said face. The watch case Fig. 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional is provided with grooves 23 which serve as guide view, showing a modified arrangement for guidor track ways for the actuating member to be '3 ing the weight in the casing. hereinafter described.

The actuating member 24 has an opening 25 therein whereby it fits loosely around the centrally fixed Watch movement I8 and is free to reciprocate lengthwise of the watch case. The member 24 is provided with recesses 26 in which the anti-friction or guide rollers 21 are rotatably secured by screws or pins 26. The manual winding stem 20 of the watch movement extends through a slot 29 in the member 24, said slot permitting the reciprocation of said member within the case without interference from the winding stem. The ends of the member 24 are provided with grooves 30 in each end of which is a cavity 3| to receive the end 32 of a cushion spring 33 whereby said spring is held in said member 24. The cushion springs serve as a means to absorb any vibration or shock incident to the reciprocation of said member 24 within the case.

The member 24 is supported in the watch case body It] by the rollers 21 which travel in the grooves 23 which are provided in the sides of the said body I0. There is sufficient distance between the supporting portions H of the flanges l6 and the walls of the watch case to permit reciprocation of the member 24.

The self-winding mechanism will now be briefly described, reference being had particularly to Figures 1, 3 and 6. The movement I8 includes a main spring (not shown) and a barrel winding arbor 34 for the same. As shown in Fig. 6, the movement includes a main bridge plate 35, in which one end of the arbor 34 is journaled, and an auxiliary bridge plate 36 secured in spaced relation therefrom by screws 31 or the like (Figures 1 and 3). A stud 3B is fixedly secured to the winding arbor 34 and is journaled at its free end in the auxiliary bridge plate 36, and rotatably supports between the bridge plates 35 and 36 a bushing 33 to which is fixedly secured a ratchet 40 and a gear 4|. The winding arbor 34 has a gear 42 secured thereto. The ends of a pin 43 are journaled in the bridge plates 35 and 36.

Secured to said pin 43 is a pinion gear 44 which meshes with the gear 42. Likewise secured to said pinion gear is a gear member 45 which meshes with the gear 4|. The ends of another pin 46 are journaled in the bridge plates. This pin 46 serves as a fulcrum for a U-shaped lever 41 having a forked end 48.

A driving pawl 49, having a hooked end to engage the ratchet 40, is secured to the lever 41 by a pivot pin 5| and is held in constant engagement with said ratchet by a spring 52 secured to the lever 41 by a screw 53. A retaining pawl 54, secured to the bridge plate 36 by a screw or the like as at 51, is normally held in contact with the ratchet 40 by a spring 55. The forked end 48 of the lever 41 is engaged by a pin 56 on the member 24 whereby the winding mechanism is actuated.

Having described the preferred embodiment of the invention, the operation will now be briefly described. When the watch is worn on the wrist of a person, any movement of the Wrist or arm will cause the member 24, which is supported by the rollers 21 travelling in grooves 23 located in the Watch case II), to reciprocate within the case by the action of gravity or by inertia. The pin 56 moving with the member 24 will cause the lever 41 to move in a clockwise direction when said member moves in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Figure 3. This movement of the lever causes the driving pawl 49 to rotate the ratchet 40 in a clockwise direction. This slight rotation of the ratchet will cause rotation of the gear 4| which meshes with a gear member 45. Thus the rotation is imparted through the gear member 45 to the pinion gear 44 which drives the main gear 42 to which the winding arbor 34 is fixedly secured.

When the member 24 moves in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow A in Figure 3, the pin 56 causes a counterclockwise movement of the lever 41 about its pivot 46 and the pawl 49 is moved freely over the teeth of the ratchet 40 which is held in position by the retaining pawl 54.

The cushion springs 33 act as shock absorbers to prevent undue strain and vibration when the member 24 reaches the limit of its movement in either direction. It was previously pointed out that the watch may be manually wound and set by the usual stem 20 having the crown 2|! secured thereto.

Figures '7 to 10 show slight modifications of the various parts of the watch. Figure 10 shows a slightly modified form of the member 24. In this case the member 24 has recesses 26 in which are mounted the rollers 21 near the upper face thereof. Figures 7, 8 and 9 show the grooves i3 near the top of the case instead of being centrally located between the bezel and closing plate as in Figures 1 to 6.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a self-winding timepiece, a case, an apertured member mounted for reciprocationwithin said case, a watch movement fixedly mounted on the case and disposed within the aperture in said member, the dimensions of said watch movement being less than the dimensions of the aperture in said member, a cut-out portion in the side of said member, a manual winding stem extending through said cut-out portion whereby to permit the reciprocation of said member, and means operated upon the reciprocation of said member for automatically winding the watch.

2. In a self-winding timepiece, a case, an apertured member mounted for reciprocation within said case, a watch movement fixedly mounted on the case and disposed within the aperture in said member, the dimensions of said watch movement being less than the dimensions of the aperture in said member, a cut-out portion in the side of said member, a manual winding stem extending through said cut-out portion whereby to permit the reciprocation of said member, and means including an arcuate shaped lever pivoted at one end thereof and loosely engaged at the other end thereof with said member for automatically winding the watch upon the reciprocation of said member.

3. In a self-winding timepiece, a case, a watch movement fixedly mounted within said case in spaced relation thereto, a weighted member having end portions connected by leg portions and adapted to reciprocate within said case, a manual winding stem extending from said watch movement through said case, a portion of said weighted member being cut away to permit the reciprocation thereof without interference from said winding stem, spaced bridge plates mounted on said watch movement, a 'geartrain positioned between said plates, and means for actuating said gear train upon reciprocation of said weighted member to automatically wind the watch.

4. In a self-winding timepiece, a case, a watch movement fixedly mounted therein, a reciprocating member mounted within said case, a bridge plate secured to to said watch movement, an additional plate secured in spaced relation to said bridge plate, a gear train between said plates, and means including a lever pivotally mounted between said plates and having the free end thereof loosely connected to said reciprocating member for actuating said gear train upon reciprocation of said member to wind the watch.

5. In a self-winding timepiece, a case having upstanding ledges in spaced relation to the ends of the case whereby to provide end chambers, a watch movement mounted on said ledges in spaced relation to said case, a member mounted for reciprocation within said case and having the ends thereof disposed within the end chambers in said case, a gear train mounted on said watch movement, means for actuating said gear train upon reciprocation of said member to wind the watch, and a cushioning member carried at each end of said reciprocating member to engage the case at the extremities of the movement of said member.

6. In a self-winding timepiece, a case, an apertured member mounted for reciprocation within said case and having a slot extending through a side wall thereof, a watch movement fixedly mounted within said case and disposed within the aperture in said member, the dimensions of said watch movement being less than the dimensions of said aperture in said member whereby to permit the free reciprocation thereof, a manual winding stem extending through said slot in said member, and means including a train of gears for automatically winding the watch upon reciprocation of said member.

'7. In a self-winding timepiece, a case having a plurality of spaced grooves forming track ways, a watch movement fixedly mounted within said case in spaced relation thereto, a member having a plurality of spaced recesses coinciding substantially with the grooves in said case, a rotatable wheel mounted in each of the recesses in said member in fixed relation thereto, each of said wheels being adapted to travel in a corresponding groove in said case whereby to permit reciprocation of said member, and means connecting said member with said movement for automatically winding the timepiece upon reciprocation of said member.

8. In a self-winding timepiece, a case, a watch movement fixedly mounted within said case, a member mounted for reciprocating movement within said case, spaced bridge plates mounted on said movement, a winding mechanism mounted between said bridge plates and including a winding gear, a stop pawl pivotally mounted between said bridge plates and adapted to yieldingly engage said gear, a lever having one end thereof pivotally mounted on one of said bridge plates and having the opposite end thereof connected to said reciprocating member, and a driving pawl pivotally mounted on said lever and adapted to yieldingly engage said gear whereby to drive the same upon reciprocation of said member.

9. In a self-winding timepiece, a case, a watch movement including the usual manual winding and setting stem, means for fixedly mounting said watch movement in spaced relation to said case, a weight member, means for mounting said member within said case for reciprocating movement relative thereto, a winding mechanism connected to said watch movement, a lever having one end thereof fixedly pivoted adjacent one side of said weight member and stationary with respect to the movement thereof and having the other end thereof loosely engaged with said weight member at the opposite side thereof and movable therewith, and means associated with said lever for automatically actuating said winding mechanism upon movement of said member relative to said watch movement.

10. In a self-winding timepiece, a case, a movement secured in spaced relation to said case and including a manual winding and setting stem, a weight member mounted for reciprocation within said case, bridge plates overlying one another and secured in spaced relation to each other, a winding train between said bridge plates, a lever having one end thereof fixedly pivoted independently of said weight member adjacent one side thereof and having the other end thereof loosely engaged with said weight member at the opposite side thereof and movable therewith, and means associated with said lever for automatically actuating said winding train upon reciprocation of said weight member.

WILLIAM ATKINSON GABRIEL. 

